


Spring to Winter

by squirrelmort



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, M/M, season
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-16
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2019-03-05 13:00:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13388340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/squirrelmort/pseuds/squirrelmort
Summary: Nagisa's first year of high school and his relationship with Rei





	Spring to Winter

**Author's Note:**

> For [Reigisa Week 5](http://reigisaweek.tumblr.com/) Day 3, "Seasons"

Nagisa walked by the park everyday, checking to see if the sakura trees had bloomed, signalling the start of spring. He couldn’t wait for spring to come. For one thing, he hated winter. He couldn’t stand the cold.

 

But, more importantly, spring was a time for rebirth and new beginnings. To be specific, it was time for a new school year. His first year of high school. And his parents had agreed to let him go to Iwatobi. He could finally spend time with his friends he hadn’t seen since he entered junior high school.

 

…

 

Summer in Japan could get really hot. But Nagisa didn’t mind the heat as much as the cold. And at least he could swim in the cool water everyday. The school year was going great. He had reconnected with Makoto and Haru and started a swim team. He got to know Gou. After a couple rough months Rin was their friend again.

 

And he met Rei Ryugazaki.

 

Rei was amazing and smart and beautiful and kind, and Nagisa couldn’t believe his luck. He had recruited Rei because of his name; he had never expected him to be so wonderful. Nagisa thought about Rei all the time. He didn’t know what to do about it. There was nothing he could do. But at least he could spend every afternoon with him at swim club.

 

…

 

Fall brought colder weather, meaning it was time to close the pool. Samezuka occasionally let them come over for joint practices, and they still had regular meetings, but without the pool there was no reason to meet everyday. Meaning no excuse to spend every afternoon with Rei (or see Rei in a swimsuit).

 

“Nagisa-kun, what are you doing tomorrow?” Rei asked one Friday afternoon.

 

“Nothing! Why, Rei-chan?” Nagisa answered brightly.

 

“Do you want to come over to study for next week’s tests?”

 

 _Right, tests_. “Yeah, that’ll be great. I’ll tell my parents.”

 

“Alright,” Rei said. “Oh, and my mom said you can spend the night if you want. Then we can study more on Sunday.”

 

 _Spending. The night. With. Rei-chan_. “Mm-hmm,” Nagisa nodded. “Sounds great.”

 

Nagisa barely got any sleep that night. He couldn’t wait to spend a _full day and night_ with Rei.

 

…

 

By the time winter rolled around Nagisa spent almost every day with Rei. When they weren’t busy with club activities, they were at each other’s house, studying or watching tv or listening to music or just hanging out.

 

Nagisa quickly dressed after bathing and ran to get under the covers on Rei’s bed.

 

“Nagisa-kun, you’re getting the pillows all wet.”

 

“But it’s warm.”

 

Rei sighed. He got out of his chair and went to get a spare towel, turning up his space heater on the way out. “Sit up,” he said when he came back in. Nagisa did so, hold the blanket to his chest. Rei sat beside him and started drying his hair with the towel. If Nagisa were capable of literally purring he would have. Even through the towel he loved the feel of Rei’s hands. “You’d be less cold if you actually dried your hair.”

 

 _But then I wouldn’t feel your hands right now._ “But that takes too long,” Nagisa complained.

 

“You could cut it shorter.”

 

 _And lose this moment?_ “But then I couldn’t get Rei-chan to dry it for me.” Nagisa smiled up at Rei.

 

“Any why do you want me to dry your hair anyway?”

 

“Because I love you.” Nagisa froze. _I wasn’t supposed to say that aloud_.

 

 “I love you, too,” Rei whispered.

 

Nagisa snatched away the towel and harshly rubbed it against his head. “I was being serious.”

 

“So was I.”

 

“I don’t mean as a friend. I mean… I like you,” Nagisa said. He looked at Rei, whose face was the reddest Nagisa had ever seen it.

 

“Me, too.”

 

“Really?”

 

Rei looked away but nodded. Nagisa let go of the towel, letting it fall around his shoulders as he pressed his face to Rei’s chest.

 

“Why didn’t you say anything before, Rei-chan?”

 

“Why didn’t you?”

 

“No fair--I asked first.”

 

Rei groaned and Nagisa giggled. He quickly moved his head to peck Rei on the cheek before burying his head in Rei’s shoulder.

 

“Your hair is still wet. You’ll catch a cold.”

 

“Then Rei-chan just has to keep me warm.”

 


End file.
